2022 League Championship Series Summer

17 June, 2022 - N/A United States

The 2022 League Championship Series Summer is the second split of the tenth year of North America's professional League of Legends league. The tournament is organized by Riot Games and will be held in the United States. Ten notable teams across the region will participate to compete for the title of 2022 LCS Champion!

Preview

The second half of the competitive season is finally here! And, well, you’re either brimming with excitement or are pretty indifferent to the fact. That’s pretty much the only two states of being that people have when it comes to the North American LCS. 

A bit of hype, a lot of nostalgia, and a ton of wariness for what may or may not transpire — that being the biggest, most drawn-out fiestas known to man.

It is a divisive region, one that is in equal part tremendously entertaining and somewhat of a perpetual letdown. You never really know what you’re going to get with the LCS, but a part of you knows you’re somehow going to be disappointed.

And their champions always seem so powerful, so full of zest and confidence. They emanate a certain kind of bravado that is ever-alluring, until they step foot on an international stage and get smacked around in the most lopsided of fashions by their more capable peers from the LEC, LCK, LPL, and perhaps even the PCS and VCS.

As a result, it’s sort of hard to write a long, comprehensive list of reasons why one ought to watch the forthcoming LCS Summer Split and its many teams, about half of which don’t even know what they’re doing. 

They’re pretty good inside a vacuum but if you were to observe their moves and actions in greater detail you would quickly surmise that they lack the nuance, the depth, the layerdness that a professional, top-tier team ought to have.

And, to make things even more complicated, today’s meta isn’t one that really favors high tempo plays and skirmishing but rather scaling and “waiting for late.” 

The Meta… And All That It Entails

It might not affect, say, 100 Thieves and Team Liquid all that much — what with them having the tools to handle and thrive in any kind of meta — but the many gatekeepers and bottom-feeders sure will fumble and fail their way around the Rift, now when clean macro and timely rotations seem to be so darn important.

Whenever the meta shifts to this state, we tend to feel a sort of dread for the LCS as it has always been a bit too slow to “figure things out,” too slow to adapt and to really grasp what needs to be done in game. And without a clear idea in mind — a thought-out strategy, if you will — teams tend to revert to basics, to just farm and hope for a “Hail Mary” come late.

The reason why we’re saying all of this is because there’s a very high likelihood that you’re not going to be entertained much over the coming weeks. There are never any guarantees, of course, but do keep that in mind if you’re looking to bet on the North American LCS — most teams are bound to play out of hesitancy and reservedness rather than any need to push the tempo and create leads by skirmishing, as was the cast last split.

2022 LCS Summer | The Biggest Favorites

Three teams stand out from the crowd: Evil Geniuses, 100 Thieves, and Team Liquid. These three are not only the most well-equipped, but they also have the best players and the most depth. And, well, it’s not even remotely close.

There isn’t, however, much of a gap between them, which will make our job quite a bit more challenging going forward. It’ll also make the LCS a bit more exciting to watch, but that mostly holds true for the playoffs rather than the regular season.

These three teams are the ones that have the biggest shot at going the distance and claiming the LCS throne. Or, well, defending it, in Evil Geniuses’ case. Who’ll come out on top is nigh impossible to predict though as there always seems to be a twist at the end, one that can neither be predicted nor foreseen.

If, however, you’re looking for the biggest favorites and those that are nearly always worth betting on, then look no further than this exceptional trio.

Do note, however, that Evil Geniuses might drop a few games in the early portion of the split. They’re the only ones who didn’t have any kind of break from competitive as they went from winning the LCS to packing their bags and leaving to Busan, South Korea, to returning and once again prepping for an entirely new split and meta. 

That’s about as draining as it gets and, needless to say, it must’ve left some kind of a mark.

As far as long-term predictions go, we believe a bit more in 100 Thieves and Team Liquid than we do in Evil Geniuses, but it’s impossible to doubt the boys in gray and orange any longer — they’ve done more than enough to warrant our trust and admiration. 

2022 LCS Summer | The Biggest Dark Horse

Cloud9 is the one team that has the tools and weapons to throw a wrench in everyone else’s plans. Jensen and Zven, alongside Fudge, Blaber, and Berserker? What an astonishing line-up! One that already has a fair bit of synergy, too! 

So they have arguably the best top laner in the league, the de facto best jungler (and former two-time MVP, no less), one of the very best Western mid laners of all time, and an exceedingly talented young marksman who’s “cracked for hands” and imbued with some of the most awe-inspiring mechanics you’ll ever lay your eyes on. 

That right there is a recipe for tremendous success.

We still need to see whether Zven can manage expectations and deliver now that he has role swapped to support, but we’re optimistic for some odd reason. He’s one of the very best players of all time and has weathered many different storms and shifts and whatnot — if anyone can do it, it’s him.

This Cloud9 line-up has all the potential in the world and they probably know it, too.

If they can get on the same page and execute, there’s no telling what they’ll be able to accomplish and how high they’ll be able to soar. Are they future Worlds representatives? More likely than not. A threat to the LCS throne? Absolutely.

A few things will need to align for all of that to happen, granted, but it’s certainly within the realm of possibility.  

2022 LCS Summer | Closing Remarks

All in all, if you’re a fan of any of these four teams then you definitely have a reason to tune in! No one else is really worth talking about. The Golden Guardians and FlyQuest are perhaps the biggest frontrunners to round out the Top 6 and actually reach the postseason, with TSM FTX potentially being a threat as well.

The North American region is still as top-heavy as ever, and only the four teams listed above have what it takes to compete at the highest of levels — and, by proxy, claim the LCS throne.

2022 LCS Summer Championship Preview

The 2022 LCS Summer Split playoffs — also titled as the Summer Championship — is right around the corner and we, for one, couldn’t be more excited! That, arguably, is the case because of two very specific reasons. First of all, this year’s World Championship is slated to take place in North America. That, in essence, is a very big reason for everyone to tryhard and compete like their lives depend on it.

Perhaps more important, however, is the fact that the LCS has been quite a fair bit more competitive and unpredictable than expected. This, in turn, has resulted in some mighty entertaining — and often jaw-dropping — League of Legends.

We really don’t know who’ll eventually come out on top, which is at once both a great thing and a somewhat bad one, too. It’s great if you’re looking for sheer entertainment and want to have some fun as a spectator; it’s bad if you’re looking to bet on competitive League of Legends.

You can’t have the good without the bad, it seems like.

Be that as it may, one could rightfully argue that the best is yet to come! Teams will now, at long last, compete in the oh-so-phenomenal Best of 5 format which is a test unlike any other. It favors endurance, flexibility, willpower, it highlights preparation, the willingness to go the proverbial “extra mile,” to trade blows every single step of the way.

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for and, by the looks of it, it’s going to deliver in every way, shape, and form!

Before we go any further, let’s take a closer look at the format itself:

2022 LCS Championship — Playoffs Format

Eight teams in total will compete in a Double Elimination bracket. The top two teams have earned playoff byes for their efforts which means they'll start competing in the second round. 

The entire 2022 LCS Championship bracket is as follows:

As is so often the case, there's quite a big disparity between those competing, and that, in short, should really come as no surprise given just how many teams (of varying strengths and capabilities) get to partake in the postseason. 

TSM FTX and the Golden Guardians, for instance, are in there only as a fodder of sorts — they're flawed beyond all measure and will only be used to strengthen someone else's narrative. That much is both clear and obvious. 

Still, we're always up for more competitive League of Legends, even if it steers a bit too close towards the fiesta realm.

2022 LCS Championship — What’s on the Line?

Everything, in a way. This is a “do or die” kind of moment. There are three World Championship tickets on the line and they’re all astonishingly valuable — for reasons that need no explaining. All eight teams have been working day in and day out for over nine months. 

They practiced, scrimmed, did VOD reviews, had countless meetings, analytical rendezvous, and so on. They’ve all been dreaming of this moment for the better part of the year and now it’s finally here. Will they deliver? Or will they, conversely, crumble under the immense pressure?

We’ll find out soon enough.

2022 LCS Championship — Who’s Competing?

Evil Geniuses, 100 Thieves, Team Liquid, Counter Logic Gaming, Cloud9, FlyQuest, TSM FTX, and the Golden Guardians had all punched their tickets to the 2022 LCS Summer postseason. They did it in varying ways, though; some of them made tremendous, jaw-dropping statements. Others, however, sort of snuck in without ever making any kind of a splash. 

The LCS Championship is a somewhat strange concept because it contains eight instead of the regular six teams which, naturally, means that the level of competition isn't nearly as high as it would've been otherwise. It's an interesting concept overall but the LCS isn't deep enough talent-wise to sustain such a bracket and actually have it be entertaining. 

The first two match-ups are at once both interesting and mighty lopsided. Cloud9 taking on Counter Logic Gaming is bound to result in fireworks but the end result is sort of written on the wall — barring any historic surge from Palafox and Co.

CLG are definitely a lot better than they might seem at first glance but they’re also flawed and, depending on the context, easily exploitable. They deserve a ton of credit for their tremendous growth and evolution throughout the split but it does feel like we’ve reached the “end of the road.”

Cloud9 are flawed in their own right, too, but they still have some of the very best players in North America and a mighty impressive skill ceiling as well. They have no shortage of talent and could, by all means, end up being the biggest dark horse the LCS has seen in ages.

Plus, their staggering experience will surely come in handy once they start competing in those highly anticipated Best of 5s — they’ve been through it all and will surely thrive and succeed even in the harshest and most unfavorable of circumstances.

Team Liquid facing off against FlyQuest is ever so slightly less interesting, and there’s a very good reason why: FlyQuest have a very “tangible” skill ceiling. They’re not a bad team overall but they aren’t nearly as capable and layered as pretty much each and every single team ranked above them. They can, of course, pack a punch, but even on a good day they tend to make egregious mistakes — the likes of which can easily be exploited by the many members of the LCS pantheon.

They’re a gatekeeper. That much is a fact. They’re talented, true, but still quite limited in terms of what they can do and eventually accomplish. Team Liquid have a laundry list of issues and flaws of their own, but they’re still head and shoulders better and more dangerous than the boys in white and green — there’s no debating it.

All of this, however, doesn’t impede the hype surrounding the 2022 LCS Championship; quite the contrary! We’ll still tune in, eager as ever, to see these underdogs try their absolute hardest. A good time, therefore, is pretty much guaranteed!

2022 LCS Championship — What’ll Happen?

This is always a thankless question to answer and, well, it’s easy to understand why. There are simply too many variables, too many burning questions lingering in the air. Plus, the top four (if not even five) teams are separated by excruciatingly slim margins — they often trade blows and take turns at beating each other regardless of the format in which they’re competing.

We have, however, noticed a few hugely important traits, and they’re definitely something you ought to keep in mind if you’re looking to bet on the 2022 LCS Championship. The first one pertains to the ability to deliver in the heat of the moment. It sounds like a no-brainer, we know, but hear us out: certain teams — like Team Liquid, for instance — tend to regress and make more mistakes on stage (and in front of a live audience) than they do in a scrim-like setting.

They also lack the “killer instinct” for which teams like Evil Geniuses and 100 Thieves are so well known for. In today’s meta, being able to quickly identify key goals is of the utmost importance, and so is the ability to focus as a five-man unit and hone in on said objectives. There’s no room for dilly-dallying and aimless wandering throughout the Summoner’s Rift — it’s a fast-paced meta that’s also pretty darn layered and packed with numerous different avenues for success.

Drafting late game team comps might still be a smart approach, but it is by no means as “safe” a method as it was in the past. The oft-talked about “killer instinct,” therefore, has to take precedence. The problem, however, is that some players/teams have it (in spades, even), whereas others are imbued with only the faintest of traces.

Evil Geniuses have perhaps the best mix of both young and old — they’re led by a bunch of seasoned veterans (and former champions) but are also harnessing the fearlessness and bold nature of two insanely talented “greenhorns.” That’s obviously a winning formula.

By the same token, 100 Thieves might not be as capable and dangerous as was the case a couple of splits ago, but they’re still an insanely capable team with some of the very best players the North American region has to offer. They’re not as good as Evil Geniuses, but they’re not far off either. We are, therefore, bound to witness a hotly contested affair once they step foot on stage to compete — an occurrence that is all but guaranteed to happen given their current trajectories.

Team Liquid are the most flawed of the bunch but they, too, can pack one heck of a punch when given the right draft. They’re not as versatile, though, and they’re not exactly on the same page either — a confusing fact, given just how long they’ve been playing under the same banner. They should be a good fit stylistically speaking, too, which only makes their struggles that much harder to comprehend.

These three teams will most likely be the ones representing North America on the World Championship stage come October. We’re still on the fence with Team Liquid, but they, too, should be able to punch their ticket for the biggest tournament of the year through sheer talent alone. It’s not guaranteed, of course, but it is quite likely.

We’re also mighty interested in seeing how big of a splash Cloud9 will be able to make now that they’re scheduled to compete in the highly anticipated Best of 5 setting — the boys in black and blue excel at those long, drawn-out five game matches, and if the stars align and they huddle up at just the right moment, they might even be able to pull off a momentous upset.

In any case, the 2022 LCS Championship will surely deliver in all the right ways so do make sure to tune in! Team Liquid and FlyQuest are scheduled to face off on Saturday, August 20th, with Counter Logic Gaming and Cloud9 doing the same just a day later. 

You can catch all the action on YouTube, Twitch, and the official LoL Esports website.

Tournament Format

Group stage will be played in a round-robin format, and all matches are played in a best-of-one series.

Playoffs format will be added as soon as it is available.